I make Circus. That covers a lot of ground, but I don’t take credit for it all… just for seeing that it gets done well wherever that VENARDOS sign is hanging. It takes an army of talent to make a Circus. And for all the artists, props, rigging, equipment, music, light, choreography, design, marketing, blood, sweat and tears that go into taking an idea all the way to a real production that can actually touch the hearts of others… well, at the end of the day, there really is only one thing we make. Memories. But the really good ones stay with you, sometimes forever. Those are the memories I want to make for other people. I want to help break down walls with our little joyous operation, by showing others, just by our presence, that anything is possible if you work hard and you never, never, ever give up.

If I knew the answer to that question, maybe I would have chosen an easier road. I’ll let my good friend Kermit the Frog answer it for me:

“Have you been half asleep, and have you heard voices?
I’ve heard them calling my name. 
Just like the sweet song that calls the young sailor, 
The voice might be one and the same. 
And I’ve heard it too many times to ignore it. 
It’s something that I’m supposed to be.”

Experience, in large quantities. Hours tuned in to NPR. The New York Times. When seeking inspiration for a new piece/act/video I consume LOTS of music. Music is probably my greatest source of inspiration. Inside that meter, I find order and structure that allows my creativity to blossom. Apples. Gala and Fuji are my favorites.